1. Technical Field
An aspect of the present invention relates to an image reading apparatus.
2. Related Art
An image reading apparatus having a main unit, a document cover, and a conveyer unit is known. The main unit may include a document placement unit having a placement plane, on which a sheet of original document to be read can be placed, and an image reader to read an image formed on the original document placed on the placement plane.
The document cover may be made of resin and coupled to the main unit via hinges to be swingable about a swing axis, which extends in parallel with a predetermined first direction. The document cover may be swingable between a closed position, in which the document cover covers the document placement unit in the main unit, and an open position, in which the document placement unit is exposed.
The conveyer unit may be arranged on one end of the document cover along a second direction, which is orthogonal to the placement plane. The conveyer unit may include a document tray, in which the original documents can be placed. The conveyer unit may convey the original documents placed in the document tray while the images formed on the original documents being conveyed are read by the image reader.
The hinge coupling the document cover to the main unit may include an in-main-unit joint section, an on-cover joint section, and an urging member. The in-main-unit joint section may be attached to an end portion of the main unit on one side along a third direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction and to the second direction. The on-cover joint section may be attached to an end part of the document cover on the one side along the third direction. The urging member may be arranged in between the in-main unit joint section and the on-cover joint section and may apply urging force to maintain an open posture of the document cover being in the open position.
Meanwhile, the document cover in the open posture is cantilevered by the on-cover joint section at one end along the third direction alone to hold the other end in the air. While the conveyer unit having substantial weight is arranged on the document cover, the other end of the document cover along the third direction may tend to deform downward by the weight. Therefore, when torque by the urging member of the hinge is applied to the document cover in the open posture, reaction force may be produced in an area around the end part of the document cover where the on-cover joint section is attached to.
In consideration of the reaction force, the image reading apparatus may be equipped with an L-shaped metal frame in the conveyer unit. The L-shaped metal frame may be attached along with the on-cover joint section to the end part of the document cover along the third direction. The L-shaped metal frame thereat may enhance the area surrounding the end part of the document cover so that the reaction force should be borne by the L-shaped metal frame. Thus, durability of the document cover may be improved.